Apparatus for cleaning, sterilizing, and drying milk-cans.



'PATENTED AUG. 20, 190?.

0. H. HOOD. s FOR CLEANING, STERILIZING, AND DRYING MILK CANS APPARATU APPLIOATION FILED OOT.24,1906.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

PATENTED AUG. 20, 1907.

O. H, HOOD. R CLEANING, STERILIZING, AND DRYING MIL;

APPARATUS PO APPLIUATION FILED 00124. 1906f 2 SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

CHARLES njnooo, OFISOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS,

APPARATUS non CLEANING, STERILIZING, Am) DRYING MILK-CANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1907.

Application filed October 24, 1906. Serial No. 340,335.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. Hoon, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Apparatus for Cleaning, Sterilizing,.and Drying Milk-Cans, of which the'follow? ing description, in connection with the accompanying the drawings the-thorough washing, "drying and sterilizing of milk cans.

Theproblem of properly cleaning and drying milk cans is rendered extremely difiicult from a practical standpoint on account of the fact that the metal so readily rusts and becomes foul unless rendered absolutely dry, the slightest moisture remaining in or on the cans causing them to rust rapidly, and accordingly I have finally succeeding in devising an apparatus in which I accomplish perfect drying of the sterilized and washed cans as they pass through the apparatus. Also I accomplish the thorough washing of the cans without any handling of the cans or direct hand manipulation of a brush or other washing medium, as in my previously mentioned application. I accomplish the washing by injecting a flood of water up into the cans under considerable pressure, so that the water itself strikes each point of the entire inside area of the can with .even greater impinging force and certainty than the bristles of the brushpreviously used. Then the cans after passing through the sterilizing portion of the apparatus are subjected to a great volume ofair in the form of an air blast, driven at such rapidity that it absorbs and takesup all the moisture almost instantly. In these respects my invention is distinguished by providing a large volume both of the water and of the air, thereby accomplishing whatcould not'be accomplished by a small volume, especially when delivered in the manner and under the circumstances previously existing.

In carrying out my invention in its more complete embodiment I first subject the cans to a jet of rinsing water from a central tank, which removes in a general way any milk, ice or foreign substance, which thereupon fiows down into a receptacle and thence into the sewer. Thence the cans pass successively over a special jet which delivers a great volume of cleansing water under pressure from said tank, the result being that the cans are instantly and .thoroughly washed. Then the cans move forward in the closed passageway to a final cleansing jet, preferably of hot water, which removes the suds or cleansing solution, and preferably scalds the cans. Next the cans are subjected in their progress .to sterilizing boilingwater or steam and finally to a large continuous blast of air, preferably hot. In carrying out the five steps of the method thus outlined I make the initial'rinsing jet-and the final cleansing jet the same size, the latter delivering its water into the tank above mentioned from which the former jet takes its water, thereby maintaining the tank evenly supplied and constantly renewed with clean water, so that there is always abundant supply of the right kind of /Water at hand'for the large-volume jet which does the washing or main cleansing and is located between the sageway and arrange the jets, etc., that I amenablcd to omit the sterilizing oven which constitutes a part of the invention set forth in my above mentioned application.

My present invention enables me to shorten and simplify the apparatus materially over my previous construction, and'a'ccomplish the work more automatically, the cans being automatically inverted also at the end, so that they may be conveniently inspected.

The constructional detailsof my invention and fur- ,ther advantages and the operation thereof will be pointed out more at length in the following description, taken in connection with the'accompanying drawings, in which I have represented a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through oneof the passageways, showing the main constructional 'details of my invention; and Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view thereof taken at the entrance end-v It is important in this kind of an apparatus that the apparatus itself should be as neat and clean as possible and not liable to become foul; and accordingly I have made the framework as nearly self-cleaning as possible, and have constructed it mainly of plain metal rods or bars, and made removable as a whole from the inelosing structure. r

- Supported by suitable uprights 1, 2, 3-, 4, is an inclosing housing consisting of side walls 5, top 6 and bottom 7. The bottom is downwardly inclined toward its forward'end from a point 8, as indicated at 9, and from the 11 and thence upwardly inclined again toward the rear at 12 to a point slightly beyond the last jet or nozzle, whence the bottom is level at 13 to the out-going end -14. On this bottom I place a skeleton framework divided into as many passageways. or guideways as required to take care of the number of cans to be handled in a given length of time, six of said guideways being herein shown and each comprising opposite guide-bars 15, 16 supported at the upper ends of long uprights l7 and track bars 18, '19 supported on uprights 20. This frame is shoved into the housing lengthwise and is pref.-

erably supported on leveling plates 21 which give other two jets. Also I preferably so construct the pas point 8-rearwardly inclined at 10 to a discharge spout while the guide bars 15, 16, are so located that they engage the opposite ends of the cans next to the shoulder or conical top. The rails 18, 19, are 'spaced' apart a sufiicient distance to permit the free flow of the water and air, as will presently be explained, and also to receive handles 25 whose rounded surfaces engage between said rails to aid in maintaining the cans in proper position. The cans are also maintained in proper position by their stoppers or metal caps 26, which ride on a rounded rail 27 secured to the frame in a passageway provided therefor between the uprights l7 and 20, see Fig. 2. For the purpose of maintaining these stoppers in proper alinement and guiding them onthe rail 27 I make the passage only slightly wider than the stoppers which are guided by thedeep edge of rail 15) and an alining rail 28, as plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 2,whereby as they are dragged along by their chains they au tomatically maintain proper position. Small milk cans have their stoppers usually secured by chains in thisvmanner, and I have found it difficult to devise a construction in which the stoppers would move along freely and smoothly without binding or interfering with the free forward movement of the cans. struction shown however accomplishes the purpose, the track 27 being located at such'a point that it tends to throw the weight of the stopper against the guiding flange 19. i At its entrance end the housing or inclosure is provided with L depression or catch basin 29 connecting by pipe 30 with the sewer and having a slanting front wall 31 at ihe opening 32. At the upper side of said opening I provide an upwardly inclined portion 33 terminating at its front edge in a-downwardly extending part 34, which I have foundaids materially in securing the proper draft through pipes 35, 36, a damper 37 being provided as shown, and a similar pipe 38 extending to the rear at 39 where similarly inclined parts 40.,"41

perform the same office for the rear opening 14. The

49 and receiving its supply from a tank 50. From the pipe 45 project also large nozzles 51 preferably spreadingthe discharge in great volume. i I

One of the leading features of my present invention is the discharging of a large volume of cleansing liquid under high pressure into the interior of the cans, as I have found that thereby I can not only dispense with all other cleansing apparatus, such as rotary brushes and the like, but I can accomplish much better results, as the water impinges against the interior surfaces with great force at every point, so that no foreign substance can withstand the unremitting attack. I The effect is The conseams almost instantaneous and is aided by having'the watercharged with soda or cleansing compound, soap or the like. Cleansing nozzles 52 from city-pressure pipes rinse out the soda water. v

Steam jets 53 are provided beyond the cleansing nozzles 52 and supplied from any suitable source ofsteam under pressure, as for instance from the boiler of the factory. This live steam, taken in connection with the other features of the apparatus to be explained, quickly accomplishes the sterilizing required.

Just beyond the steam jets 53 are relatively large air pipes 5 1, 55, for delivering large volumes of rapidly moving air under pressure into and about the cans. This air is preferably heated, but more importantyet is the provision of means for delivering theiair'in great volumes, as 1 have found that by providing a huge quantity of air under pressure it will carry away all the moisture remaining from the sterili zing steam.

Also by packing the cans in comparatively tight, as

the suction apparatus 35, 36, 38, to cause the aiir to circulate in and around, and under and over the cans with a rapid movement absorbing and taking along every particle of moisture, so that when the cans have traveled the short distance remaining to the out-going end 14 of the apparatus they are thoroughly dried. Upon arriving at the out-going end the upwardly durnedbottom of the outermost can is caught by a spring hook 56 and catch 56" which arrestfurther movement until the previous can has been inspected and removed. Thereupon a holder57 is swung upwardly on its pivot 58 by a counter weight 59 whose cord 60 passes over a pulley 61 and issecurod to a lever 62 in proper position to effect the upward swingmovement when the holder is empty: The holder comprises a bottom 63 and 'a hell-0w or embracing pocket-like portion 64, against which the can tips to be retained against accidentally tipping sideways. The tracks at their ends bend downwardly as indicated at 65, so as to give the cans a tlrrowior forward impulse to cooperatewith the holder in automatically dumping or inverting'the cansfor inspection. When the can thus automatically seats itselfin the holder the weight of thecan causes, the holder to turn dowi1- wardly into the dotted position Fig. 1, where it strikes against-a padded rest 66 andremains 'until the inspecterv takes up the can, and after inspection passes it along to/ a platform 67. The automatic'upwarcl swingingof the holder causes its bottom to engage the ='forward slanting end of the hook 56 and-*thereby lift the book from engagement with a can, permitting the latter to drop into the holder as explained. The water automatically takes care of itself, the incline to the point 8' acting the same as a dam to direct the dirty rinsings at the beginning into the catch basin and sewer, and the incline at the rear of said dam 8 acting todeilect the cleaner suds or washing fluid and the fresh supply of city-pressure water to the discharge spout ll, whence it flows into the tank: A screen 68. is provided surrounding the discharge end of said spout 11 and'is made removable, so that any coarse material removed from the cans is strained out of the water and the removing of the screen or strainer makes it convenient to clean the apparatus quickly. The

cleansing nozzle 52 is preferably the same size as the, rinsing nozzle 42, so that thereby the water in the tank is kept level automatically, the rinsing nozzle removing the water only as fast as the cleansing nozzle supplies fresh water. The washing nozzle supplies its large volume of sprayed or enlarged discharge of water without affecting the supply in the tank, inasmuch as this water runs back directly into the tank. One reason the tank is provided is to make possible this large-volume discharge of heated washing fluid at uni form high pressure.

The operation of the apparatus above described is as follows: The cans are taken up preferably one by one from" the floor or a conveyer,,arid any milk, ice, water'or the like contained therein is dumped down the inclined front 31 into the catch basin 29 and the can is placed in-an inverted position on the tracks '18,

19, its handle being placed between said tracks as shown in the drawings, and the metal stopper placed at fone side on thestopper track. Thereupon the can is shoved along untilit comes over the rinsing nozzle 42, where it receives a powerful jet of water, which- -instantlyfremhves any easily removed matter still re- 25 m'atter'and the rinsing water'fiow down-the incline 9 maining on the inside or outside of the canfand'this' to the. catch basin -2l. Meanwhile another can has been in position and its forward movement causes the-preceding 'can to be moved forward, and so on, until the roughly clean'sed; can is brought over the washing nozzle5l where/it is instantly subjected to a large volume of washing fluid at highpressure, prefer; ably delivered'with more 'or less whirl and spreading movement, gso that the complete washing of the can takes jplace in a movement, as Ihave alreadyje'xplained. 'The can is now moved along with the series I of can's over the sterilizing jets of steam or boiling water, which subject the cans to an intense and moist "heat un derfthe proper conditions for sterilizing. As.

soonas they havep'assed the jetsof sterilizing steam thejc'ans are subjected to a huge blast of air preferably driven" at high pressure, which operates to absorb all .theinoisture from the heated surfaces of the cans,

these volumes of highly driven air from the pipes 54," 55 being further accelerated'by the exhaust or suction apparatus 35, 36, 38, which likewise prevents the moisture-laden air from escaping from the ends of the inclosure into the room. As the cans pass from the track they fall automatically onto the holder and are turned down into proper position for inspection. The shape of the lever 62 causes the heavy cans to be let down gently without injury. j

- This'apparatus is primarily intended oi-"small and medium size milkcans, which require to behandled rapidly and in largemimbers. In another copen ding application I have set forth a special arm-0f apparatus j handling large milk cansl It will be understood that "the problemfof treating'metal cans is entirely different tromfthat presented inhandlin'g glass bottles, ascorrosi'onset s in' quickly if any moisture is allowed to remain, and they much more'readily become foul, collect bacteria, etc. Moreover, it is the tin vessel ratherfthanthe glass wessel which the wholesaler has to distribute to the farmers, and therefore the greatest care-in thoroughly sterilizing and said cans is necessary because they immediately get out fromder the observation of the wholesaler, who is the responsible party to whom the city inspection authorities look for maintaining the hygienic conditionsjre-.

standing the fact that the cans are treated by the thousands and with such great rapidity.

While I have set forth my invention in all its preferred. details, I wish it understood that many variations in details and in the combination of parts may be resorted to without departing from the .spirit and scope of my invention.

My present invention is a species of the generic invention set forth in my application Ser. No. 303,643 filed March 1, 1906, where the broadinvention is duly claimed, and accordingly it will be understood that I have omitted herein certain claims which I would otherwise make in this case.

' Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by'Letters Patent is,

1. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a continuous passageway, means therein for washing the cans, steam-delivering nozzles for sterilizingthe cans, and air delivering nozzles for drying the cans, all located in said single continuouspassageway, said steamdelivering nozzles beinglocated to operate on the cans immediately next to the washing means contained i-n-said passageway, and said air delivering nozzles being located immediately next.to the steam delivering nozzles to operate on the cans immediately after the cans leave the'stem delivering nozzles, said washing means, steam delivering nozzles. and air delivering nozzles being constructed and arranged to deliver large volumes of washing fluid, steam.'and air re spectively, under pressure withinand without the cans as they pass along. 1

move along insald passageway, a tahkimeans for deliverforclngwater from said tank to sald'rinsing nozzle and to said washing nozzle; and-a connection from an lndependent source to said cleansing nozzle, whereby said tank is *constantly replenished from the latter nozzle' and -the fluid withdrawn by said rinsing nozzle.

3. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a passageway, provided with an initial rinsing nozzle, an intermediate washing nozzle and a final cleansing nozzle, in line tooperate upon the cans in succession "as the cans move along in said passageway, a tank means for delivering the water discharged from said washing nozzle and cleansing nozzle back into saidtank, connections for forcing water from said tank to said rinsing nozzle and to said washing nozzle, and a connection from an independent source to said cleansing nozzle, whereby said tank is constantly replenished from the latter nozzle and the fluid withdrawnby said rinsing nozzle, said rinsing nozzle and cleansing nozzle havingthe same capacity, whereby supply of water in the tank tends to remain at a uniform level. I

.4. An apparatus ,of the kind described, comprising a v .1130 passageway, provided with an initial rinsing nozzle7-an wltnurawn oy said rinsmg nozzle, said rinsing nozzle and cleansing nozzle having the same capacity and said washing nozzle having a considerably larger capacity.

5. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a passageway, provided with an initial rinsing n0zzle, an intermediate washing nozzle and a final cleansing nozzle, in line to operate upon the cans in succession as thonans move along in said passageway, a tank, said passageway between said rinsing nozzle and washing nozzle having means for directing the flow of rinsing water from the cans outwardly, toward the front end. of the apparatus, a catch basin arranged to receive the same, said passageway being provided with means for delivering the water from said washing nozzle and cleansing nozzle into said tank.

6. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a passageway, a depressed catch. basin at the front end of said passageway, provided with a raised front side, against which the operator may rest cans for dumping, a

I rinsing nozzle adjacent said catch basin for rinsing the cans when dumped, a raised portion at the rear of said rinsing nozzle for deflecting the water therefrom into said catch basin, a large-volume washing nozzle at the rear of said deflecting means, a tank beneath said passageway, the bottom of said passageway adjacent said washing nozzle being depressed to deliver the washing refuse to said tank, and a removable screen for straining the washing water as it flows into said tank.

7. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising means for sterilizing metal milk cans, means for entirely drying said sterilized metal milk cans, and means for automatically inverting said cans for inspection.

8. -An apparatus of the kind described, comprising means for sterilizing metal milk cans, means for entirely drying said sterilized metal milk cans, and a holder at the outgoing end of the apparatus provided with a counter weight for normally moving said holder into can-receiving position, constructed to be over-weighted by the presence of a can and to be turned thereby into can-delivering position.

9. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising means for sterilizing metal milk cans, means for entirely drying said sterilized metal milk cans, a holder provided with a counter weightfor normally moving said holder into can-receiving position, constructed to be over-weighted by the presence of a can and to be turned thereby into canwane composed of bar metal supports having longitudinal trackbars for the handle ends of the cans to rest upon, a longitudinal track-bar at one side of the main tracks for receiving the stoppers'of the cans set edgewise, said main tracks being raised above said stopper track sufficiently to maintain the cans substantially above their stoppers as they move through said passageway. t 11. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising passageway for receiving metal milk cans to be washed and dried, a track in the bottom of said passageway on which the cans travel, said track having longitudinal track bars spaced apart suificiently to permit the handles of the causto rest between them, and arranged for the handle ends of the cans to rest upon, a longitudinal track bar at one side of the aforesaid tracks to receive the stoppers of I the cans set edgewise,- said longitudinal trackbar beingbelow the other tracks suffieiently' to maintain'the stoppers entirely beneath the lower ends of the cans as they move through the passageway, said track having a longitudinally extending portion depending beneath the cans at the side of the stoppers to guide the latter and to help maintain the stoppers in edgewise and free moving position;

12. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a passage-way for receiving metal milk cans to be washed and dried, a track in the bottom of said passageway on which the cans travel, said track having longitudinal track bars spaced apart sufliciently to permit the handles of the cans to rest between them, and arranged for the handle ends of the cans to rest upon, a longitudinal track bar at one side of the aforesaid tracks to receive the stoppers of the cans set edgewise, said longitudinal track bar being below the other tracks sufficiently to maintain the stoppers entirely beneath the cans as they move through. the passageway, said track' having a longitudinally extending portion depending beneath the cans at.the side of the stoppers to guide the latter and to help maintain the stoppers in edgewise and free moving position, and an opposite alining rail extending longitudinally of said bottom track and projecting close to the stoppers, affording a passage for the latter only slightly wider than the stoppers, for guiding and maintaining the stoppers in proper alinement asthey move through the passage.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my nameto this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES H. HOOD.

Witnesses:

M. J. SPALDXNG, E. MAXWELL. 

